A California judge has issued a ruling that prohibits all advertisements for the children’s charity Kars4Kids within the state, including those featuring its well-known jingle. The decision was made on the grounds that the ads violated false advertising laws.
The lawsuit, filed in 2021, alleged that funds from the New Jersey-based charity were not being used to support “underprivileged children” as claimed, but instead were directed towards funding trips for teenagers to Israel and the construction of a $16.5 million building.
The case was initiated by Bruce Puterbaugh, who claimed he was misled by the charity after donating his car. According to court documents, Puterbaugh stated that he was influenced by the Kars4Kids jingle, which he heard repeatedly on local radio. The jingle, known across the U.S., features children singing: “1-877-Kars4Kids/K-A-R-S Kars for Kids/1-877-Kars4Kids/Donate your car today.” It has been played on radio stations for nearly two decades.
Puterbaugh later discovered that his donation had not benefited “underprivileged kids from all over the U.S.” Instead, the money went to Oorah Inc., a company funded by Kars4Kids. Oorah is a Jewish non-profit organization that supports summer camps in the Tri-State area and organizes gap year trips to Israel for Jewish teenagers. Additionally, funds from Kars4Kids were used to purchase a building for Oorah in Israel, valued at $16.5 million.
“I feel taken advantage of by the ad and information that was not there,” Puterbaugh said during court testimony.
Esti Landau, the COO of Kars4Kids, testified that the famous jingle does not mention any religious affiliation or ties to the Jewish community.
In her ruling published on May 8, Judge Gassia Apkarian of the Superior Court of California, in Orange County, stated, “Money cannot ‘un-donate’ a car or restore the donor’s belief that they were helping a local, needy child.”
She further noted that when a charity generates millions annually through a ‘jingle’ that conceals its primary religious and geographic focus, it creates an unfair advantage for local California charities that are transparent about their missions.
As a result, Kars4Kids was ordered to pay $250 in restitution to Puterbaugh and must cease all non-compliant broadcasting in California within 30 days.
The Independent has reached out to Kars4Kids for comment. In a statement provided to The New York Times, a company spokesperson indicated that they plan to seek a stay of the ruling and appeal the decision.
“We believe this decision is deeply flawed, ignores the facts and misapplies the law,” the statement read. “It’s well known that we are a Jewish organization and our website makes it abundantly clear.”
Kars4Kids added that it helps “thousands of kids with youth development, mentoring and educational programs, including hundreds in the state of California, contrary to the judge’s complete mischaracterization of our work and of the testimony at trial.”
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